Shoe



June 23', 1964 H. c. LEE 3,137,950

SHOE

Filed Dec. 5, 1961 INVENTOR.

HERBERT C. LEE

W WW

ATTO R N EYS United States Patent 3,137,950 SHQE Herbert C. Lee, Belmont, Mass. (210 South St., Boston 11, Mass.) Filed Dec. 5, 1961, Ser. No. 157,124 1 Ciaim. (C1. 36-25) This invention relates to a new shoe construction.

The primary object of this invention is to provide an inexpensive means for achieving elaborate shoe styles and designs with the most simple shoe making techniques.

Yet another important object of this invention is to provide a shoe having the comfort of a play shoe or sneaker and the appearance of a highly stylized dress shoe.

To accomplish these and other objects, my invention includes a very plain and preferably unrelieved upper made of virtually any upper stock such as canvas, fabric or leather, a sole secured to the upper in any manner, and a printed pattern on the upper stock which suggests or simulates a more elaborate shoe style or design such as a blucher, oxford, moccasin, novelty shoe, etc.

A shoe constructed in accordance with this invention may be made very inexpensively. It will be recognized that the lack of stitching, ribbing, pleating, etc. on the upper stock will make the shoe extremely comfortable. If the upper stock is an unyielding material, that is, a relatively non-stretchable material such as canvas or leather, a yielding gore insert may be incorporated into the shoe at the heel portion to facilitate insertion and removal of the foot.

These and other objects and features of this invention along with its incident advantages will be better understood and appreciated from the following detailed description read in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view of an unadorned shoe on which this invention may be incorporated; and

FIGS. 2-5 are perspective views of the shoe shown in FIG. 1 with the upper printed to suggest different shoe styles and designs in accordance with this invention.

The shoe shown in FIG. 1 includes a low cut upper and a bottom 12 made up of a heel 14 and sole 16. The upper 10 is shown in FIG. 1 to be unadorned i.e. free of all stitching, pleating, ribbing, etc. particularly at the forepart and a normal opening for the foot. A strip of gore 18 made of yieldable material is shown stitched to the upper stock 20 at the heel area to facilitate insertion and removal of the foot from the shoe. The need for the gore insert 18 will be determined by the character of the material 20 from which the upper is made and the particular style in which the upper is cut. Thus, if the material 20 is unyielding, that is, non-stretchable, and the style is such that the upper is relatively high cut, the gore will be necessary to permit the shoe to be slipped on and off. On the other hand, if the shoe upper is made of a relatively stretchable material and/or is low cut, the gore may prove unnecessary.

The shoe upper preferably is string lasted or otherwise inexpensively conformed to a last and the bottom 12 is cemented or otherwise inexpensively secured in place. For example, the bottom 12 may be vulcanized or stitched to the upper.

In FIGS. 25 four different shoe styles are suggested, all of which are achieved by indelibly printing on the surface of the upper 10 the characteristics of the style ice simulated. Thus, in FIG. 2, the upper 10 is provided with printing at 22 to suggest a loafer-type shoe made of leather. The printing of the material to suggest leather of course is only appropriate when the upper stock 20 is canvas or some other fabric and leather is to be simulated. It will also be noted in FIG. 2 that a row of stitching 24 is simulated on the upper surface of the margin of the sole 16 to suggest a welt shoe.

In FIG. 3 a plain toe blucher is suggested by the printing 26 which simulates quarters 28 and laces 30. Printing 32 may also suggest a row of stitching about the top of the upper.

The shoe shown in FIG. 4 is of moccasin styling with a strap and buckle. The strap and buckle 34 is achieved by printing, just as is the rib 36 characteristic of a moccasin-type shoe. It will be noted that the shoe shell defined by the upper 10 is identical to the shell of the other shoes.

In FIG. 5 a novelty shoe is suggested by the printing 33 which simulates an open weave material commonly found in summer shoes, and a bow 40 and open weave quarters 42 are also simulated by printing the upper. The upper 10 is identical to that shown in the other figures but the simulated style is different.

From the foregoing description it will be recognized that the shoe of this invention is extremely simple to manufacture and with equal ease all styles and designs may be achieved. It is no more expensive to simulate an oxford or blucher than a moccasin or loafer and all may be readily suggested by the printing on the exposed surface of the upper stock 20. The invention has application in virtually all forms of play shoes as Well as in inexpensive dress shoes. It makes available to all highly stylized shoes which heretofore have been beyond the reach of many.

In view of the fact that numerous modifications may be made of this invention, I do not intend to limit its breath to the specific embodiments illustrated and described. Rather, it is my intention that the breadth of this invention be determined by the appended claim and their equivalents.

What is claimed is:

A shoe having a one-piece upper comprising rear quarters and vamp portions and a low cut top line for a shoe worn directly on the foot, said portions made of relatively non-stretchable material,

a sole secured to the upper,

a pattern printed on the vamp portion of the upper to simulate a stitched shoe style,

and a yielding gore incorporated into the upper at the area where the rear quarters are normally secured by a back seam.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 101,593 Demarest Apr. 5, 1870 1,233,714 Scott July 17, 1917 1,660,203 Morgan Feb. 21, 1928 1,756,474 Raymond Apr. 29, 1930 2,152,229 Waters Mar. 28, 1939 2,423,143 Gottschalk July 1, 1947 2,995,837 Ferreira Aug. 15, 1961 OTHER REFERENCES Life magazine, November 15, 1937 (page 58). 

